B15.1 The History Of Genetics Flashcards
Who was Gregor Mendel ?
An Austrian monk who bred pea plants and observed the original ideas of genetics
What did Mendel conclude from his experiments ?
Characteristics are inherited units as they are passed down from parent to offspring
Some characteristics weee dominant over others however he couldn’t fully explain this
What did Mendel actually do ?
He bred 2 parent pea plants with one yellow (Yy) and the other green (yy)
Which caused two yellow plants form
He then bred to yellow plants (Yy) which gave a 75% chance of a yellow plant and 25% of a green plant
What else did Mendal show ?
Some characteristics can be masked then reappear in later generations ( recessive alleles)
What was later understood in the 1800’s due to developments in technology?
Chromosomes and cell division discovered under a microscope
What is later understood in the early 1900’s due to developments in technology ?
Chromosomes identified as the inherited units Mendel theorized
What is understood in 1953?
Structure of DNA determined
Why did many scientists not agree with Mendals idea ?
He challenged the idea that characteristics were inherited and not blended
Many scientists held onto the belief that characteristics were blended when they are inherited
What did the later discoveries allow scientists to do ?
To analyze the how DNA and genes operate
